


Prenuptial Disagreement

by Angel_of_the_Starz



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Bending, F/F, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Marriage Contracts, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2018-12-19 04:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11889579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_of_the_Starz/pseuds/Angel_of_the_Starz
Summary: Korra only has 90 days to find a job or marry a citizen of Republic City, otherwise she will be deported back to the Southern Water Tribe. Asami Sato is pressured to find a spouse when she takes the position of President of Republic City. While these seem to be the biggest obstacle of their lives, things take a turn or the worse when the two end up in a contract marriage for a year.





	1. The Begining of the End (I)

Korra squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she turned her mailbox key. The metal creaked loudly as she pulled the door open. Carefully, she reached her hand out and placed her palm flat onto the inside of the box. Her shoulder's relaxed upon feeling the cool metal against her warm skin.

"Okay," she sighed, "we're almost there Korra. All you have to do now is move your hand a bit to the side." Korra slowly licked her dry lips and swallowed hard before sliding her hand to the right. She couldn't help but smile when her fingers brushed against the sides of the mailbox. "Alright, just one more small movement and then we're home free."

She slowly shifted her hand in the opposite way, slowly inching across the surface. Her pulse began to quicken, a celebratory meal was being envisioned in her head, and a celebratory heel click (to be executed when no one would be around) was itching to be released, before her fingers touched paper.

A loud scratching sound filled the air. Korra's eyes snapped open and she turned her head to the left to see the landlord removing the needled of his record player from a record to pick it up and flip it over. Korra exhaled before turning her attention back to her mailbox. Her fingers were lightly touching a white envelope.

"This could easily be a bill, Korra," she said. She pulled the envelope out of the mailbox, closed the metal door, and twisted her key to lock the compartment. "A bill would be the best thing to have in my hand right now."

She clasped the envelope in between her palms, closed her eyes once more, and began to pray as her life depended on it. Although, she grew up in the Southern Water Tribe, she didn't really connect with the idea of spirituality and things of the like. However, she called upon every higher being she was taught while home schooled, desperately hoping they would answer her call.

Korra took in a deep breath before opening her eyes and turning over the envelope in her hands. At first, she could only force herself to admire the stamp, before shifting her gaze to her name and address, and then finally to the top left hand corner, where her nightmare began: Republic City Homeland Security.

\---

"I can read, Korra, thank you," Kuvira said in a monotone as Korra, for the fourth time, harshly pointed at the title at the top of the letter she was reading. Once again, Kuvira started to re-read the first line of the letter:

_To Korra, resident of Yue Lake Apartments,_

_It has come to our attention that-_

Kuvira quickly reached up and grabbed a hold of Korra's finger, capturing it in a tight grip. Korra winced before pouting. She then let out another cry of agony as Kuvira's fingers tightened the more she read the letter. Upon reaching the end of the document, Kuvira released Korra's finger, sitting straight up from the couch.

"This isn't good," Kuvira announced as she finished reading the letter. She carefully folded it back up and slipped it back into the envelope before placing it onto the coffee table.

"You think?!" Korra shouted. She collapsed onto a nearby chair and slapped her hands against her face. "Maybe I can knock myself out. Then when I wake up, this will all be a dream."

"There are a few problems with that plan. The biggest one is that you will end up subconsciously stopping yourself from knocking yourself out." Kuvira plucked a newspaper from the coffee table, unfolded it and resumed reading the article she was in the middle of reading when Korra broke the news to her. "Now, if it were _me_ , you'd be gone in two seconds and then wake up a month later thinking you just randomly fell asleep."

Korra groaned. "I'm glad you're enjoying this." She had clasped her hands over her face, her voice ending up muffled as a result.

"Someone has to." Kuvira snorted.

Korra got up from the chair and snatched the newspaper out of Kuvira's hands. Ignoring her glare, Korra quickly crumbled up the paper into a large ball before tossing it over her shoulder. "This isn't funny, Kuvira!"

"I never said it was." Kuvira laced her fingers together, placed them behind her head, and leaned against the back of the couch. "Though, I wouldn't have to deal with your cockiness anymore."

"You didn't complain about that last night." Korra collapsed onto the empty seat next to her. She reached out and pinched the end of Kuira's nose. "In fact, I seem to remember someone singing my praises _so loudly_ that it woke up our lovely neighbors," she added, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

Kuvira exhaled slowly before shifting her eyes to the right, sending her a harsh glare "I can't stand you, you know that?" she muttered.

"Oh, you love me and you know it," Korra said brightly. Kuvira grunted.

The two sat in silence. Occasionally it would be disrupted by Naga's barking down in the grassy area behind the apartment building. The landlord was kind enough to build a giant shed for Naga to use as a place to sleep.

Korra reached out and took ahold of Kuvira's hand. She then squeezed it tightly, waiting patiently for Kuvira to give her all her attention. "I'm worried," Korra admitted. While her voice is normally loud, strong, and stable, she had spoken very softly that Kuvira almost had to rely on reading her lips to comprehend what was being said.

Kuvira slowly exhaled through her nose, before half-smiling. "Don't be, I'll think of something," she reassured her. "Go take Naga for a walk and clear your head."

Korra made a sound of agreement before jumping up from her seat on the couch. Kuvira glanced across the room and grumbled to herself when she spotted the crumbled-up newspaper nestled against a small stack of firewood. She couldn't help but gasp when she felt Korra's lips on her cheek. Turning her head, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion before Korra pressed a light kiss to her lips.

"I love you." Korra smiled warmly.

Kuvira glanced down at Korra's lips before shifting her gaze back up, before smirking. "You're okay," she said. Korra playfully tugged on the end of Kuvira's long braid before sauntering towards the door.

"I love you, too," Kuvira called out before the door closed.

\---

Korra quickly sat up in bed when the smell of bacon, eggs, and pancakes wafted up her nose. She hissed at the bright sunlight filtering in through the window. Yawning loudly and then scratching the back of her neck, she forced herself out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.

"Too early for sun but perfect for pancakes," she rasped. After relieving herself and washing her hands, she glanced at her reflection. Dark bags pulled against the bottom of her eye lids, and her hair was pointing in all directions. Korra didn't get much sleep last night, and stayed up late watching movies so as to not wake Kuvira earlier than she'd like. She learned that the hard way the first time the two had shared a bed a few years ago, when Korra had slept over. Kuvira could be grumpy at times, but she's worse than Korra when she is woken up before her alarm.

Korra exited the bedroom and walked over to the kitchen, catching the tail end of a conversation Kuvira was having on her phone. Korra leaned against the doorway, studying the way Kuvira was leaning against the kitchen counter, a gentle smile played on her lips. She looked softer and much more feminine than Korra is used to seeing. Of course, she catches glimpses of it during their date nights where she makes sure to show Kuvira with attention and affection.

"Korra's up so I have to go. I'll talk to you later," Kuvira said before pressing the END button on her cell phone. She placed it into her pocket before picking up two plates and putting them at the table.

"How'd you know I was up?" Korra questioned.

"You stopped snoring, plus whenever you enter the room it kind of smells like rain."

"Was that lover boy on the phone?" Korra asked as she plopped into her seat. She smiled happily at the food, mentioned her thanks to Kuvira, before cutting into her pancakes.

"Yes, it was Baatar," Kuvira muttered.

"Should I be worried?" she chuckled. Kuvira paused into cutting a piece of sausage from her plate. She knew that Korra was joking, but this joke tends to come up from time to time when Kuvira mentions his name. No matter how many times she must reassure her girlfriend that nothing is going on between the two of them, Korra

"No," Kuvira said firmly. "There's nothing going on between us." She resumed cutting her food into portions before dropping her fork and taking a bite. "His family was nice enough to take me in as a kid. Who knows how I'd end up if that hadn't happened?"

"Probably the same," Korra commented. She had pulled her feet up into her chair and rested her plate on top of her knees. "…just power hungry and needing to control things. So, really, the same." She smiled.

"Ha, ha." Kuvira rolled her eyes. "Anyway, he gave me an idea on how to keep you here."

Korra's smile faded. She glanced out the window as the sun peeked in-between the numerous buildings along the skyline. "Only eight-nine more days," she sighed.

"Check this out." Kuvira handed her a neatly folded newspaper. Korra placed her plate onto the table and wiped her hands on her pantlegs, to Kuvira's disgust, before unfolding the paper to the front page. Korra's eyes scanned the headline, slowly growing more wide with each passing word.

"…The president of Republic City…is seeking applications…for a spouse?" she asked. "President Asami Sato?"

"The very one," Kuvira snorted.

"Why?"

"Something about needing to be married to rightfully accept the position of presidency, because it is a long-standing tradition and blah, blah, blah." Kuvira quickly finished her breakfast before leaning back in her chair, a warm mug of coffee tightly gripped in her hands. "As if a woman can't run things without a partner. Single moms do it all the time."

"Sometimes, not by choice," Korra pointed out. She studied the photo of Asami Sato on the front page. It was a photo she had seen numerous times. Upon announcing her bid to become city president her face was plastered all over the city. Of course, there is also the accomplishment of becoming the CEO of a company by the time she was twenty. Now, at twenty-two, she is the youngest person to assume office, and the first woman.

"Someone as pretty as her will probably have tons of suitors. To be that pretty you probably already know that you're pretty." Korra commented. She picked up the newspaper and held it in her left hand, before pointing at the picture with her right. "I mean, look at this. Makeup perfect, no piece of hair out of place, clothes wrinkle free…why would people put up with that? They should have a real girl, like me."

"You're the only person I know who purposely cuts off the sleeves to her shirts," Kuvira muttered. "If that's not real then I don't know what is."

"I don't cut them off." Korra rolled her eyes. She then made a big show of flexing her arms. "They fall off due to my amazing physique." She stuck her tongue out at Kuvira when she let out a bark of laughter. "Anyway, what was Jr's idea?"

Kuvira looked at Korra, giving her time to put two and two together. Korra just stared back at her. "You put in an application, be selected, and marry President Sato," she said slowly.

Korra continued to stare at Kuvira for ten seconds before bursting into laughter. Kuvira shrugged before resuming her breakfast. She waited patiently for Korra to calm herself down, which took about five minutes. Every time she had stopped laughing, she would look at the newspaper and then erupt into a fresh fit of giggles.

"You know…normally, I don't think you're funny, but that one takes the cake."

"I'm actually being serious," Kuvira insisted.

Korra quickly stopped laughed. She leaned forward and peered closely at Kuvira's face, who regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, you have your serious face on," Korra sighed. "You want me to marry President Sato?"

"A contract marriage," Kuvia said. "You said she was pretty."

"Yeah, but she also looks stuffy and stuck up." She frowned at the photo. "And why are you pushing this?"

"You may be deported in ninety days," Kuvira reminded her. She held up a finger to show that she was going to count her numerous points.

"Eighty-nine."

Kuvira continued, raising a second finger. Her voice got a bit louder. "You can't hold down a job to save your life-"

"It's not my fault no one can match with my skill and speed," Korra interjected.

Kuvira practically shoved three fingers into Korra's face, who flinched and leaned back to regain some of her personal space. "And you don't have any health insurance!"

"It's not my fault we have healers where I'm from."

"More like witch doctors," Kuvira snapped.

"Hey," Korra roared, "don't diss my people."

Kuvira's frustrations quickly faded. Talking negatively about Korra's family or her culture was the quickest way to get on her bad side. She was fiercely loyal to her roots, even if it meant not understanding or agreeing with some of the industrialization of Republic City.

"I'm sorry that I upset you," Kuvira apologized. "I didn't mean it. But, at least think about it." She waited as Korra relaxed in her seat. "There are so many benefits you can gain from this. I mean, you can easily get it annulled in a year. Plus, it's not like past presidents haven't been divorced. Apparently ex-President Raiko and his wife may be calling it quits soon."

Korra remained silent as she pondered Kuvira's words. Kuvira took this as the time to get up and rinse off her plate before placing it into the dishwasher. "What about you?" Korra asked.

Kuvira glanced at Korra over her shoulder. "What about me?"

"You know what I mean."

"The one thing I like about you, is that you always worry about other people. It shows that you care," Kuvira said in a hushed tone. "You always put others before yourself. For once, put yourself first. This may be your only out." Her voice sounded as if she were almost pleading. Korra normally would poke fun at this moment of weakness, but getting Kuvira to open and show her vulnerable side is like pulling teeth. Sometimes, it's nice to watch because it makes her more human. "Just think about it."

"Why-"

"Because then I won't have to worry about you every time you step out the front door." Kuvira shrugged. "Plus, it's not like this will be anything serious. Like I said, by contract only. You're still mine." She smiled.

Korra sucked in a breath when she saw Kuvira smile. The action always makes her melt. "Fine, I'll think about it," Korra sighed. "But I don't have to like it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my new twitter, [@AngelofStarzFFN](https://twitter.com/AngelofStarzFFN), for updates on all of my works!


	2. The Beginning of the End (II)

Asami Sato stared at the document on her desk, twirling a pen around in her hand, and breathing a hard sigh once every minute. Reaching up a hand, she rubbed her sore neck and straightened up her spine, wincing at the slight pain. After a moment of adopting correct posture, she slumped forward once more, hunched over her desk. She had taken up this seated position since she entered her office at the top of Future Industries Tower, and four hours later, she was still sitting there but with a raging headache that intensified with each passing hour. Even as the newly elected President of Republic City, she had yet to take office, and found her own office much more comforting than the stiff presidential quarters she was soon to be forced into.

She dropped her pen and rubbed her burning eyes as the writing utensil rolled across the wood surface. The room was quiet except for the ticking from a nearby clock. Her lower eyelid would twitch with every sound it'd make.

Asami got up from her seat and walked around her desk to the wall on the right. The shelves were filled with numerous books on a range of topics from all four different nations. The various categories included engineering, technological advances, and computer science as well as poetry, biographies, fiction, and a spare cookbook here and there. Most of the titles features tips on cooking a meal with six items or less, perfect for an overworked single woman like herself.

Asami picked up a book and flipped open to a random page, not bothering to look at the title or its author. As her green eyes skimmed across the words, she soon found herself zoning out, not entirely picking up on the wording or any of the information that had been transcribed. She felt her breath catch as she skirted over her father's name nestled underneath a photo as a part of the caption. She closed the book with a snap and found his name on the cover as well; he was one of the contributing authors.

She placed the book back onto the shelf and walked over to her desk. Asami reclaimed her seat and picked up her pen once more. After a few seconds of the tip hovering over the blank page, she crumpled up the piece of paper before throwing it into the trashcan.

A harsh knock on the door matched the rhythm of the pulsing ache in Asami's temples. She hissed in response before calling out, allowing whomever was on the other side to enter. She forced a smile as her assistant, Xu, stepped into the room. The smile didn't last too long when she noticed the stack of papers tightly clutched in Xu's hands.

Asami looked up into Xu's face before groaning. She then leaned back in her seat, placing one leg over the other before crossing her arms over her chest. She then held her hand out, palm open. Xu nodded once before placing the stack of papers into her hand.

"I placed the announcement two days ago, and I'm already tired of this," Asami mumbled.

Xu took a seat in an empty chair facing Asami's desk. Clasping her hands together and placing them in her lap, she waited patiently as Asami quickly skimmed through the applications. She remained quiet, waiting patiently as her boss finished consuming the documents. Asami dropped the stack of papers onto her desk before regarding Xu with a look of disbelief.

Xu cleared her throat before pointing to the top of the stack. "Okay," she said quietly, "the first candidate is-"

"No," Asami muttered.

Xu nodded rapidly. "The second is-"

"No." She shook her head.

"The third-"

"No!" she cried.

Xu tried to remain as stoic as possible but she ended up breaking down into laughter. Asami tried not to smile, but the corners of her lips slightly curled up. "Why not?" Xu asked.

Asami pulled the top three photos off from the top of the stack. She pointed directly in between the eyes of each photo while listing off her reasons. "His eyes are unsettling, he looks like he only wants me as a trophy wife, and he probably wants to be a sugar daddy."

"I actually found that one funny," Xu admitted. Asami's laughter escaped her in a hurry. "Sorry, but when you get as old as I am, you'll start to take anything."

"You're not that old." Still chuckling, Asami leaned forward and slipped her shoes off her feet before stretching her legs out, resting her heels against the bottom of her desk. Xu smiled gently at Asami's actions. She always found it endearing when the young woman relaxed and acted like her age, instead of being in boss mode all the time. Asami flipped through the papers once more, clicking her tongue. "Besides, these people are just…just…" she trailed off as her thumb brushed past a thicker photo. "Wait…"

"What?"

"There's another one." Asami plucked the photo out of the stack before running a finger up and the left side. She then used her thumb nails at the top left corner to try and force the photos apart. "I missed one."

Xu waited patiently as Asami pried the two photos from one another. Xu raised an eyebrow in confusion as a smile began to form on Asami's face. However, this smile wasn't a normal smile, but one with vindictive undertones to it. A wild look briefly engulfed Asami's eyes, changing them from the usual cool green tone of an Earth Kingdom native to brilliant gold of the Fire Nation. "Asami?" Xu pressed.

"Go take this photo and hand deliver it to The Republic City Times." Asami's voice was quiet but filled with enthusiasm. She had flipped the photo around and scanned the contents on the back, her lips moving as she read it to herself. "It must be in tomorrow's issue, front page."

"Who did you pick?" Xu asked, holding out her hand. Asami handed her the photo before leaning back in her chair.

"Korra; daughter of Tonraq from the Southern Water Tribe," she announced.

"What?" Xu shouted. Asami jumped at her response. Xu's quick apologies for her sudden outburst.

"Is there a problem?" Asami questioned. All signs of her relaxed and comfortable self were gone. In its place was a calm and calculated exterior. Xu had seen it many times during board meetings, lunches with investors, and business trips with foreign leaders. It was a look Asami had adopted upon taking over Future Industries, to be taken seriously as a woman in a male dominated field. Xu found it to be so ingrained in Asami that she often wondered if the young woman ever had time to relax and just be herself.

"This…she's…she's a girl," Xu finally answered.

"Right!" Asami nodded.

"But-"

Asami crossed her arms over her chest, tapping a finger against her left arm. "The position requires me taking a spouse. I did just that," she said slowly. "They never specified which gender, though."

Xu looked down at the photo once more. It was a headshot of Korra, with her arms crossed over her chest, dressed in traditional Southern Water Tribe clothing. Her smirk was a mile wide as if taunting the person looking down at her photo. "Asami, I must ask that you think about this."

"I have," Asami said. "This is a business deal after all. So, we'll do business." Asami clasped her hands together and rested them on the surface of her desk. "While there may be cultural and financial differences, I will be ready to deal with them." She waved her hand over at the bookshelf on her right. "I have tons of books on each nation, and if it doesn't help then I'll just go to the library."

"Most from the south are…" Xu paused. Asami waited as her assistant searched for the right words. In the meantime, she glanced down at her clothing and plucked a loose thread off the lapel of her blazer. "…not well off, to put it lightly."

"She's the daughter of the head of the Southern Water Tribe. I'm sure she's fine."

"What would your father-"

"This has _nothing_ to do with my father," Asami said. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw was set. Xu nodded once before bowing her head. "This will make him mad, there's no doubt about that. I'm sure others will respond negatively as well. That's what I want." She cleared her throat. "They may tell me what to do, but I still do what I want."

With that, she pushed her chair back and stood up. After taking a few seconds to put her shoes back on, she walked from behind the desk and over to the windows, throwing open the curtains. Turning towards Xu she held her arm out, waving to Republic City's skyline. "That's how I came into this company and that's how it's been thriving, how Republic City has been thriving…after my father nearly destroyed it"

"I just…I never knew you were…"

"My personal decisions are of most importance to myself and myself only." Asami smirked. "…and now my future wife."

"I'm sorry," Xu said. She finally lifted her head and regarded Asami with a gentle smile. "I just want what's best for you. I guess I have to realize that you can take care of yourself."

Asami returned her smile. She quickly crossed the room and threw her arms around Xu, giving the older woman a tight hug. "You've been with my family for years and I greatly appreciate you being there for me, for everything," she said into Xu's ear. "You listened to me, and gave me great advice." She pulled back and looked her directly in the eyes. "Just because I've made up my mind on this doesn't mean I won't need help from time to time. That's why you're in my life, not just because you're my assistant."

Xu playfully rolled her eyes before reaching out and lightly hitting Asami on the arm. "You do know your father originally hired me to work with your family to keep an eye on you."

"I figured as much," Asami answered with a shrug. "You took great care of me after my mother passed but I'm an adult now and I need to make my own decision and mistakes from time to time."

"So, you think this is a mistake?" Xu pressed.

"I never said that."

The two stood still and stared at each other. The clock on the wall continued to count down the seconds. Another moment passed before Xu let out a heavy sigh. She glanced down at Korra's photo once more. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Asami nodded once, before clasping her hands behind her back. "Yes, this is the only way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my new twitter, [@AngelofStarzFFN](https://twitter.com/AngelofStarzFFN), for updates on all of my works!


	3. Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Korra stared at the envelope in her hands. She brushed her thumb over the Future Industries logo in the top left-hand corner. Sighing she dropped it onto the table in the living room before turning to face Kuvira, sitting opposite her on the couch. Kuvira looked at Korra, then the envelope, and back.

"You're not going to open it?" Kuvira asked. She leaned forward and picked up the envelope. Her eyes swept over the swirling text of letters, addressing the document to Korra.

"I just still can't believe she picked me," Korra groaned. She reached up and began to rub her temples.

"You don't know that," she pointed out. "It could be a rejection."

Korra scoffed before dropping her arms. She glared at Kuvira before sitting up taller in her seat. "If I don't hear anything back from the tons of jobs I applied to, even for a rejection, what makes you think this is one?" she demanded.

"Good point, but I don't see the problem," Kuvira admitted.

Naga's loud barking caught Korra's attention. She hopped off the couch and before striding over to the window. She peered out before opening it, sticking her head out into the open air. "Naga," she called out. Naga immediately stopped barking and turned to face her own. "You are the only polar bear dog I know of that is afraid of lampposts turning on. Calm down." Naga's ears folded down and she let out a whimper. "You're fine. They're not going to hurt you."

Korra leaned back into the apartment and picked up a stray chew toy from the floor. "Here you go, girl," she said before tossing the toy out the window. Naga barked happily and caught the toy in her mouth. She then lied down on the ground and began to play with the toy. Korra shook her head, laughing through her nose before leaning back into the apartment and shutting the window.

"My point," Korra said, plopping herself back onto the couch. She plucked the letter out of Kuvira's hands, ignoring her girlfriend's harsh glare, "is that I only applied as a joke. I wasn't really taking it seriously."

"You sure spent a lot of time on the application," Kuvira reminded her. "It is probably the longest I'd ever seen you take a test

"For part of it, we had to fill in bubble answers. I just wanted to make them as dark as possible. Besides, I went overboard on the short answer section. It had to sound so farfetched and unbelievable that she wouldn't go for it." Korra sighed hard. "Besides, once she finds out the truth…"

Kuvira frowned in confusion. "The truth about what?"

Korra rolled her eyes. "That I'm poor," she filled in.

"I don't follow."

"She's rich, Kuvira." Korra ran a hand through her hair before getting up once more. Placing the envelope back onto the table she began to walk around the couch. Kuvira moved her head in a circle, following her girlfriend's movements. "She comes from the most powerful industry in the world." After taking another trip behind the couch, Korra kicked at the corner of the carpet, overturning it.

Kuvira made a noise of agreement but otherwise remained quiet. After a few moments she tilted her head back to look at Korra, who was fingering the threading of the back of the couch, avoiding her gaze. "What's wrong?" Kuvira asked quietly.

"Why can't we get married?" Korra whispered. Kuvira shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She crossed her arms over her chest before sighing slowly. Korra quickly made her way back around the couch before sitting down next to Kuvira. She turned to face her girlfriend, sitting cross legged. "We've been together a little over two years, and we've talked about it before," she added.

Kuvira looked over at Korra, the corner of her lips slightly curled up. It was soon faded by a frown. Korra leaned forehead and placed her hand on Kuvira's knee, gently rubbing it. Kuvira sighed hard before reaching up and running a hand down her face, a pained expression slowly forming.

"It's…complicated," Kuvira said.

"You have health insurance," Korra pointed out.

"That is true." Kuvira nodded. "I do

"Then marrying you would be easier."

"No, it wouldn't," she snapped.

"Why not?" Korra asked. "I'm sorry, but I just don't see the problem."

Kuvira huffed before getting off the couch, harshly pushing Korra's hand off her knee. Korra crossed her arms over her chest, clenching her jaw as she watched Kuvira walk over to a large cabinet across the room. Kuvira tugged open the door and reached inside, pulling out a silver envelope. Kuvira crossed the room and reclaimed her seat. "I couldn't find the right time to tell you," Kuvira whispered holding out an envelope. It was crumbled and torn on the edges.

"Tell me what?" Korra asked, eyeing the envelope. Kuvira grabbed Korra by the wrist and placed the envelope into her hands. Korra flipped the envelope over and pulled the flap out of the pocket. She pulled the letter out, unfolded it, and quickly scanned its contents. Her frown turned into a bright smile.

"I was accepted as a member of Zaofu's security team," Kuvira announced. She leaned over and double checked the dates listed in the letter. "I leave at the end of the week to start training."

Kuvira let out cry of excitement before pulling Kuvira into a tight hug. It took her girlfriend a few moments before reaching up and returning the embrace. "You got it? I'm so happy for you!" Korra said.

Kuvira half-smiled in thanks. She accepted the letter and envelope back from Korra and carefully folded the document. "But, I still don't see how this is a problem." Korra admitted.

Kuvira reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. Korra quickly smacked her hand away and began to massage the stiff muscles for her. "President Sato can give you more than I can. She can support you." Korra's hands paused for a small moment, before resuming. "I won't be making that much money while I'm gone. Who's going to pay the bills and do the grocery shopping?"

"I can find a job," Korra answered.

"You haven't found one yet," Kuvira pointed out.

"But I will!" she insisted.

"You don't know that." Kuvira grabbed hold of Korra by the shoulders in a tight grip. Korra reached up and removed her girlfriend's hands from her shoulders. In return, Kuvira quickly took hold of her hands. "This way…I know you'll be taken care of," she said. "I'll know you'll be okay."

Korra instantly softened at Kuvira's quiet tone. For Kuvira, it is rare to openly show her emotions or share her thoughts and feelings. It was something that annoyed Korra and gained her attention and interest when they initially started seeing each other. Being able to see Kuvira when her strong, confident side breaks always melts Korra's heart because it shows that Kuvira views her as a safe person.

"You don't think I can do it by myself?" Korra asked.

"No, I think you're really stubborn," Kuvira chuckled. She ran her fingers through her hair before claiming Korra's hand once more. "Korra, do you love me?"

"Do you really have to ask that?"

"Then why can't you love yourself as much as you love me?" Kuvira questioned. Korra pulled her lips into a thin line, but didn't respond. She titled her head to the side in thought. "You will do anything for me and for your friends, but when it comes to yourself you have no energy left. Accepting help isn't a sign of weakness."

"What if something happens to us?" Korra pressed.

"It won't," Kuvira insisted. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against her girlfriend's. "I believe in us. We've been apart before, and we've been saying it…this won't be real."

Korra closed her eyes. The two sat in silence for several moments. The only sound interrupting was Naga's barking from outside. Korra chuckled to herself before opening her eyes. She placed a light kiss to Kuvira's nose and laughed loudly at the shocked look on Kuvira's face. "Okay, I'll do it."

Kuvira handed Korra the envelope. Korra ripped it down the side and pulled out the document. Her blue eyes rapidly moved back and forth as she absorbed the contents of the letter. "She's asking to have dinner at the end of the week, to start the process," Korra announced.

"Process?"

"Yeah, I mean you put an ad and then instantly get married to an applicant? What if their thoughts and ideas for the relationship doesn't work?" Korra asked. Kuvira chuckled a bit, before nodding in agreement.

Korra signed her name at the bottom of the document and stuffed it into the self-address envelope. Kuvira placed a light kiss on Korra's cheek before climbing off the couch and making her way to the kitchen. She clicked her tongue at the stack of dirty dishes in the sink. She poured a decent amount of dish soap on top of the dishes before turning on the water. Kuvira pulled her long hair back into a braided ponytail before cleaning.

Korra licked the seal of the envelope, frowning at the taste, before getting up and heading towards the door. She slipped on a pair of flip flops and grabbed a leash from the hook by the door. "I'm going to take this down and then take Naga for a walk."

"Okay, I'll try and have dinner started by the time you get back," Kuvira said.

"No, let's go somewhere. We need to celebrate your amazing news," Korra answered. Kuvira glanced over her shoulder, and smiled in response, a light flush staining her cheeks. "I won't be long," Korra called out as she slipped out of the door.

Korra held the letter tightly in her hand as she made her way down the stairs. Upon reaching the mail room, Korra stopped in front of the outgoing mailbox. She took a deep breath and let it out loudly, before stepping up and placing one end of the letter in the open slot. Korra squeezed her eyes shut before shoving the envelope into the small slit. She relaxed when she heard the envelope hit the bottom of the outgoing mailbox. A moment later, Korra dropped the leash she was holding, grabbed the side of the metal mailbox and began pulling as hard as she could to try and rip the box off the wall to receive the letter. Nothing was official until the ink dried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And in the next chapter, Asami and Korra will finally meet and the story will begin to pick up!
> 
> Next chapter title: Done Like Dinner
> 
> Follow my new twitter, [@AngelofStarzFFN](https://twitter.com/AngelofStarzFFN), for updates on all of my works!


	4. Done Like Dinner

"We've been over this, dad," Asami sighed. She moved her cell phone from her right ear to her left. "I'm the CEO of the company, not you."

"I don't think-"

"Isn't that what got you into your predicament?" she asked. "Thinking?" Asami pulled the phone away from her ear and glanced at the display screen. It was still counting down the time, alerting her that the call hadn't been dropped. The sudden silence on the phone made her think that the call had been dropped. Not that she would have blamed her father for hanging up on her, it has happened numerous times in the past when they would get into a conversation about Future Industries.

"I am your father, and you will show me some respect," he said.

"You lost all my respect when you got arrested," Asami responded.

"Honey, I know you are angry-"

"Angry is an understatement," she calmly said. "I'll never get over what you did. Mom wouldn't have approved."

"Everything I did was for you and to avenge your mother."

"If that's the way you do things for other people because you care, because you want revenge for them, then it's a good thing I run the company and you don't," Asami said. She looked up as the hostess to the restaurant stopped by her table. She pulled her cell phone away from her ear, pressed the END button, and then stored it into her purse. The waiter moved to the side and pulled out the chair that was opposite of her. Korra tried to gracefully place herself onto the seat but misjudged how low it was and ended up falling onto it.

Asami gave her a quick once over. Korra's dark hair was pulled back into a high bun, and she was dressed in a formal Southern Water Tribe dress. The various shades of blue, black and white looked nice but it was clear that Korra felt a bit uncomfortable in the dress. Based off of her application photo, Asami would have guessed that Korra would have preferred to wear pants or more loose and comfortable clothing. However, Asami did have to admit, albeit silently, that Korra did look striking dressed up.

Korra cleared her throat. Asami looked up and found herself lost in Korra's bright blue eyes. It was such an amazing shade of blue that she couldn't help but stare. On anyone else, the color would have made it hard for Asami to look directly at the person, but with Korra's dark complexion and soft features, it just worked for her.

"Thank you for joining me," Asami said. She picked up the cloth napkin from in front of her draped it across her lap. This helped her pull her eyes away to regain her composure. It was best to get down to business. The waiter excused himself to give the two some time to look over their menus. "I'm glad you accepted the offer to meet me. I liked your application."

"That's cool." Korra shrugged. "I find it hard to believe that someone pretty like you would need to do a spouse search."

"Dating has never been my priority. Not like that has stopped some people." Asami picked up her glass of ice water and drained half of it in one gulp. She carefully placed it back on its coaster before reaching up and removing her earrings. She had noticed that Korra wasn't wearing a single piece of jewelry."

"Getting asked for dates, that sure is a problem," Korra said, sarcasm stitched into every word. She leaned forward, resting her elbows onto the table, lacing her fingers together.

"Who says they ask? It's more like…pressure."

"I'm sorry," Korra dropped her hands onto her lap.

"Don't be." Asami shrugged. "They're the ones who should be sorry, but we're not here to talk about that. We're here to talk about us."

"Us, right."

"I'll cut to the chase, I only agreed to do this to get the city's leaders off my back. They want me to find a spouse to officially accept the position while I believe a woman should be able to stand on her own." Asami fluffed up her hair, offering a half-smile. "Unfortunately, that's not how the job works."

"So, you decided to stick it to them?" Korra asked, a smile of satisfaction forming on her face. "Fair enough."

"Wait," Asami said slowly, "…you're not."

Korra raised one shoulder. "My application was a joke. I have a girlfriend."

"Oh!" Asami's eyes widened in shock. She then sat up a bit in her seat, looking around to catch the eyes of their waiter. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

"No, it is," Korra insisted. "We talked things over."

"So, what do you want out of this?" Asami asked. "I already told you my story. There has to be a reason you want to do this." The waiter returned with a bottle of wine. He held the label out to Asami so she could verify she wanted to accept the beverage. After nodding in confirmation, he placed a glass onto the table and filled it up.

Asami looked over at Korra expectantly. Korra gently shook her head. The waiter excused himself once more, and Korra waited for Asami to take a sip of her beverage before answering. "…Stability."

"You must really trust each other," she commented. Asami picked up the napkin from her lap and dabbed her lips of the excess liquid. She checked to make sure none of her lipstick wiped off before placing it back into her lap.

"We do," Korra said. Asami noticed her eyes slightly narrowed. "We have a strong relationship."

Asami nodded. She inhaled deeply before letting the air out slowly. "I'm only planning on having all of this be official by paper only."

"Me too."

"But, having a girlfriend may make things complicated," Asami pointed out.

"She'll be in the Earth Kingdom for a while for her new job. A training of some sort."

"If you don't mind my asking, why all this?" Asami asked. "Why can't you just marry her?"

The waiter reappeared next to their table. Korra quickly picked up her menu and scanned its contents. "Are you ready to order?" she asked. Asami nodded once before rattling off her order without looking at the menu. Korra listed off her order and handed her menu to the waiter. Asami held hers out as well and offered up a smile of thanks.

Asami looked at Korra, waiting for her to answer her question but found her staring back, her jaw clenched. Asami finished the rest of her wine, this time licking the excess off her top lip instead of wiping it away. Asami paused for a second, trying to decipher if her mind was playing tricks on her. She thought she had seen Korra's eyes follow her tongue as she licked away the last bits of whine. "So, should we talk logistics?"

"That can wait," Korra said roughly. "We should talk about something else more important, like how we should tell my parents. We're very close. I tell them everything."

Asami watched in shock as Korra picked up a small bowl sitting in front of her and took a sip from it. Korra made a sour face before spitting the liquid back out. Asami dipped her fingers into her bowl three times before wiping them on the cloth napkin. Korra blushed hard as she placed the small bowl back onto the table. She smiled graciously as the waiter returned to the table with their orders. Korra quickly shoveled some food into her mouth.

"You noted on your application that your father is the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe," Asami said. She resumed the topic of conversation, trying to push away the moment of embarrassment for Korra. While she normally relished in the mistakes of people who underestimated her, she couldn't help but feel a bit of compassion for Korra. While Asami could easily feel the tension between them, something about her was different.

Korra chewed rapidly, holding up a finger. She swallowed the large lump of food before answering. "Newly appointed."

"Congratulations," Asami said politely. "You must be proud." While her words still held politeness, they came out slightly flat.

"I am. It happened after we split from the North." Korra reached up and dabbed at the corner of her eyes. The eyeliner she had worn started to make her eyes water. Asami forced herself not to make a face as she watched Korra touch her eye before going back to consuming her food. A dark smudge was left underneath Korra's eye. "We're an independent entity now."

"…Independent?" Asami repeated.

"I may be an heiress, or princess, or however you want to look at it." Korra quickly reached a hand up and thumped herself on her chest twice. "…but we're still a new nation…so we don't have as much, what's the word, entity as you do."

"Oh." She slowly closed her eyes and ducked her head. She remembered Xu trying to tell her about the financial situation back in her office when she chose Korra as her match. At the time Asami wouldn't listen, she just brushed the idea away, but now she was silently kicking herself for assuming.

"Is that a deal breaker?" Korra asked

"Of course, not."

Korra dropped her fork. She leaned back in her seat, her arms crossed over her chest. "I saw the way you took your earrings out. Don't think I didn't notice." Asami looked guiltily down at her plate. She took a quick bite of food. "Anyway, I've heard about your father…and what's he's done."

Asami chewed slowly, taking her time to choose her words carefully. She finally swallowed before regarding Korra with a slightly raised eyebrow. "I'm nothing like my father," she said quietly.

"Be sure to keep that in mind when we go to the Southern Water Tribe to meet my parents," Korra answered with a frown.

"Excuse me?" Asami blinked. She winced upon imagining the bitter cold. Most importantly, she thought about the living conditions. Thoughts of igloos and tents filled her mind, and crossed her face because the longer she stayed quiet, Korra's frown grew. Asami didn't notice how quiet it was until she jumped at the sound of their waiter re-filling her glass with ice water.

"Problem?" Korra raised an eyebrow. She noticed the light flush of pink rising up Asami's neck and the tips of her ears. While she desperately wanted to call the heiress president out, she was too busy having fun making her uncomfortable.

"No." Asami quickly shook her head. She picked up her glass and downed half of her drink, coating her suddenly dry throat. Clearing her throat, she reached up and brushed her bangs out of her face.

"Are we too low class for you?" she pressed.

"No, it is nothing like that."

Korra pulled her lips into a thin line. She sat up a bit taller in her seat before releasing her lips with a loud pop. "Do you really think my parents should find out the news of our pending engagement through the media?"

"…I-I don't think they should," Asami said quietly.

"Good, then it's settled." Korra bunded up the cloth napkin that was in her lap before stuffing it into her empty glass. Asami quickly reached out and plucked the cloth and placed it onto Korra's empty plate. Korra clenched her jaw before getting up from her seat. "We'll head out in two days. There's a ferry leaving the port for a week."

"A…a week?!" Asami's jaw dropped.

"Dress warmly," Korra taunted.

Korra: 1, Asami: 0.

Korra reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a few Water Tribe copper pieces, gripping them tightly. Asami looked up at Korra and sighed before holding out her hand, palm up. Korra smirked before dropping the copper pieces onto the table. She didn't move as they rolled around the table top, a few spilling onto the floor. A family eating at a table nearby turned to look at the commotion.

Korra gave a salute before turning and marching towards the restaurant's front doors. She glared at any waiter or patron who would step in her path. Asami felt her pulse begin to race. It wasn't the idea of potentially turning into an Asamsickle that caused her tension, but the idea of losing a conversation. Asami always ended up on top. Always.

Asami looked around, desperate to find an angle that would help her have the last word in their conversation. It was then she noticed the money still left on the table. Korra was about halfway across the room when she heard Asami call out, "They only accept yuan here." Asami quickly picked up the currency from the table, taking a moment to look at the distinct carvings and markings.

Korra paused, one foot still in the air. Asami snorted. While the action wasn't ladylike, she knew her father would have harshly scolded her for if he were in attendance, she couldn't help but find amusement to the tense situation. Yes, it was her decision to go along with finding a mate, but if this dinner was a sign, then the relationship would be dead in the water from the beginning. Not that she was expecting much, of course this relationship is to be fake every step of the way.

Asami removed the cloth napkin from her lap and carefully folded it into a square before placing it onto the table top. She lifted her head, giving it a quick jerk to move her bangs out of her face, before smiling sweetly up at Korra, who in return, rolled her eyes. Asami's smile slowly formed into a smirk as she held her hand out, the Water Tribe pieces pooled in the centered.

"Sorry, did I ruin your dramatic exit?" Asami half-smiled as Korra, mumbling to herself, snatched the movie out of her hand. She gave a small wave before resting her chin in her hand, watching Korra stalk away in defeat.

Asami held her hand up and waved to catch her waiter's attention. She held up her wineglass and gently shook it, indicating she'd like a refill. He nodded and moved toward the back of the restaurant. Asami relaxed in her seat, humming happily.

Asami: 1, Korra 0.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my new twitter, [@AngelofStarzFFN](https://twitter.com/AngelofStarzFFN), for updates on all of my works!


	5. Frost Bite

" _What_ are you _wearing_?" Korra demanded as soon as Asami stepped out onto the top deck of the ferry. She scoffed at the gray petticoat that Asami had just slipped on. She rolled her eyes upon noticing that she had on a pair of ruby red earmuffs. The color matched the shade of red the pale girl's nose was turning.

"You said to pack for the cold," Asami answered with a shrug. She reached up and adjusted the earmuffs on her ears, before quietly sniffing. A stray tear slipped from the corner of her eye, slipping down her cheek.

"No, that is not packing for the cold." Korra reached out and pinched the sleeve of Asami's jacket in between her pointer finger and thumb. Giving it a look between disgust and amusement, she released her grip. Asami's arm fell back to her side. "You're dressed for a breeze," she commented.

"I've been skiing in the mountains before." Asami shrugged. "I can handle the snow."

"Oh, aren't we special?" Korra sneered. "Don't say I didn't want you."

"What?" Asami asked, lifting the right ear muff up off her ear.

"I said 'Don't say I didn't warn you!'" Korra repeated. She then sighed heavily before plunging her hand into her coat pocket. She pulled out her cell phone and powered on the screen, her shoulders slumping up seeing no new message notifications.

"Expecting an important call?"

Korra rolled her eyes before placing her phone back into her pocket. She sat down on a bench, her back pressed up against the railing of the ferry's top deck. After adjusting the dark blue jacket tied around her waist, Korra leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and placed her hands behind her head. She then regarded Asami with a raised eyebrow. "That is none of your business," she answered with an edge.

"I'm sorry," Asami said slowly. Her eyes lingered on Korra's arm muscles before she looked away taking up interest in a passing flock of seagulls. She cleared her throat before perching herself on the seat next to Korra. A harsh shiver raced up her spine as soon as she sat down, but Asami forced herself not indulge in the gasp that was making its way up the back of her throat. It was much colder than she anticipated. "I didn't mean to pry. It's just that since we left you've been looking at your phone screen every ten minutes."

Korra's eyes narrowed as she looked over at Asami, holding her gaze for a few moments. Asami looked back at her, unblinking. Korra raised one eyebrow continuing to look at her, while Asami took on a dull expression. She reached up and fluffed her hair, before leaning back and resting her arm along the back of the bench. She rested closed her hand into a fist, before resting the side of her forehead against her knuckles. Korra blinked slowly, a look of annoyance crossing her face, before rolling her eyes.

Asami: 2, Korra 0.

"You wouldn't understand," Korra muttered. Asami raised a shoulder. Korra turned her attention back to her phone, pulling up her chat log. She sighed once more when she looked at the logged time. She pressed a few more buttons on the screen before storing her phone back into her pocket.

"Go ahead and say it," Korra ordered, slumping in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Say what?" Asami asked.

"What you've been fighting to say for the last few minutes."

Asami pulled her lips into a straight line before exhaling slowly. She clasped her gloved hands together, placing them in her lap. She straightened her back and rolled her shoulders.

Korra watched her with a look of disgust. "Oh, for the love of spirits," Korra muttered as Asami cleared her throat. After a moment, a wave of guilt washed over her. All Asami needed to do was ask a question, but the way she was preparing herself seemed very calculated, like it was something she was used to doing. For the briefest moment, Korra was able to see a small insecure side to the voted President of Republic City, right before the business side appeared again.

"Why do you hate me?" Asami asked. Korra paused for a moment, her eyebrows shot up. "You had a choice. We can still back out of this," she added. Asami shivered as a gust of wind rocked the ferry. She reached out and tightly gripped the railing. "I just think that for this to work, even if its fake, we should at least be cordial to each other."

Korra sighed, running a hand through her hair. Asami crossed her arms over her chest, sticking her hands deep into her armpits, trying to gain more warmth. Korra leaned back, sighing happily as the bitter wind brushed across her exposed skin. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"I a-accept your apology," Asami said with a nod. "Let me guess, it's because of my looks? M-my accomplishments? How nice I am?" she listed.

"To name a few," Korra scoffed, reaching up and scratching one of her eyebrows. "It's not you."

"I know!" Asami answered. "Of course, it's not me. I-I'm just who I am, and most other women I come across has a problem with it, w-which shouldn't be the case. We should support one another." She then looked at Korra, tilting her head to the side. "Unless of course, you're just insecure about yourself," she offered.

"Well, compared to you, who wouldn't?" Korra asked.

"Why compare?" Asami questioned. "You have a girlfriend, and have been together for how long?"

"Almost a year," she answered.

"R-right! Why compare yourself to me when its obviously clear someone likes you for you?" Asami tried to smile but her lips constantly twitched from the cold. "Besides, I think you have amazing eyes, a smile that lights up a room, and a caring heart. All this, and I've only known you for about a week now."

Korra looked at her in surprise before half-smiling. She shyly looked down at her hands, clasping them together. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Asami nodded. "I'm not fond of this arrangement either, for my own reasons, but let's make it as easy and pain-free as possible."

"Okay, I can agree to that," Korra said. "Besides, it's one thing that I'm doing this. But _you_ -"

"Really?"

Korra lifted her head. "You didn't say when we had to start," she pointed out with a bright smile.

Asami: 2, Korra 1.

A few hours later, the ferry arrived at the docks of the Southern Water Tribe's main port. Korra stood at the railing, smiling happily and waving to the sea of people wearing dark blue jackets, watching the boat come in. Se quickly untied the jacket from around her waist, and slipped it on, matching the people of her tribe.

"Look! The Avatar is back," a voice cried out.

"Hey, it's the Avatar!"

"The Avatar has returned."

"The Avatar?" Asami ask as she returned to the boat deck. Halfway through the trip, she had quickly excused herself to the cabin of the ferry, to get some work done. Korra also knew it was to warm up, even though Asami insisted that she was fine. But her pale skin, red cheeks and nose, and frequent shivers said otherwise.

"It's a nickname I kind of have," Korra answered. She leaned against the railing, looking out at all the small shops and stalls set up as far as she could see. Asami looked at the view as well, her face slightly falling at most of the buildings partially made of snow and wooden panels. Chimneys puffed smoke up into the sky.

"So, which hotel are we staying at?" Asami asked. "I need to let my secretary know in case of any sudden documents that need to be sent." She pulled out her cell phone, trying to grip it tightly. Her shaking hands caused her to drop the device onto the ferry deck. She gasped and snatched it up before it fell over the side.

"We don't have hotels here," Korra said with a small laugh. Asami picked up her phone and began to press a lot of buttons on the screen.

"What?" Asami asked, looking up. Korra's smile faded as she took note of the tears slipping down Asami's cheeks. They quickly began to freeze due to the cold.

"We're staying in the main village," she said slowly. "At my parents' house."

"Okay." Asami shrugged. She reached up and brushed the tears from the corners of her eyes. She winced as small frozen pieces scratched against the tops of her cheeks. "Then as long as there's a fax machine I can-"

"No." Korra shook her head. "No fax machines."

"…Oh."

"I think you can handle being away from work for a few days," Korra said. She reached out to pat Asami on the arm but paused. After a few moments she ended up following through and sympathetically patting Asami on the arm, but her hand was flat and stiff, making the moment that much more awkward. After two pats, Korra quickly pulled her hand away.

"A w-week," Asami said quietly. "I have to be here a week."

"I thought you said you'd be fine here," Korra pointed out, repeating what Asami had said a few days prior at their disaster of a dinner.

"I will!" she insisted.

"If you say so." Korra unzipped her jacket and slipped it off her arms before holding it out to Asami. Asami looked at it in confusion before waving her hand, shaking her head. Korra rolled her eyes before stuffing her jacket into Asami's hands. "I can handle this cold. You clearly can't," she said. Asami smiled graciously before quickly shedding her jacket. "Now that we're here, we need to make a pit stop."

"Aren't we going to meet your parents?" Asami slipped her arms through Korra's jacket, quickly fastening the buttons. It was a little too big at the arms, the sleeves stopped right before her wrists, and the bottom of the jacket stopped about an inch above the waistband of her pants, exposing her shirt to the frigid air. Though, none of that mattered at how warm she felt.

"We are, but there's something important we have to take care of first." Korra fought off a frown as she pulled on Asami's red coat. At the last moment, she decided to put it on backward, so the front of the jacket was resting along her back. Her arms moved stiffly, the sleeves of the jacket tight around her biceps. Asami noticed a few goosebumps beginning to pop up on Korra's shoulder blades. "You may want to take that necklace off," Korra added, pointing at the glittering piece of jewelry resting in the middle of Asami's chest.

"I can't," Asami answered, shaking her head. She looked down at the small red flower that rested on a long chain from her neck. She reached up and gripped it tightly in her gloved hand.

"Why?" Korra smirked. "One of your many suitors gave it to you?"

"I said I can't!" she shouted. Korra's blinked rapidly. She raised her eyebrows in shock. "I won't," Asami added. "I'm not going to." With that, Asami brushed past her and made her way down the ramp, off the ferry. A few crew members followed slowly, panting and wheezing from carrying her heavy bags across the deck.

"Okay," Korra whispered. "Whatever you say."


End file.
